Kansas+USA+international+story+writing+project

Flags of the countries



Countries in the project: Argentina, Romania, Norway, Scotland, Chile, England, Ukraine, South_korea, Luisana USA,Ontario, Canada, Sweden, Egypt, Russia, Denmark,Kansas, Australia, Mexico, Japan, Poland, South-Africa, India, Guinea, Morocca, France, Italy, Wisconsin,Georgia, Netherlands, Hungary ( we)



We would like to write a story about a brother and sister who are Chihuahua puppies named William and Zoey. Their owner, Lisa, buys them a new napping rug (a rug to nap on). Every time the pair takes a nap on this rug they find themselves in the most exciting dreams that take place in the most extraordinary places (where YOUR students live).

This is where YOUR CLASS becomes part of this adventure! We need your class to collaboratively write a short story (300 to 500 words typed) about these puppies “napping rug” adventure showing aspects of your area and culture. Make it fun and with characters from your area - human and/or animal. If your students don’t type maybe you could let them write it and you could type it when they are finished. We would like for them to draw 3 pictures - one of the beginning, middle and end. You can scan those and send them via email or send them snail mail and I can scan them for you ;-)

As far as the consistency of the main characters (Chihuahuas) - William is a black puppy with tan color on his face and legs and he wears a green collar. He is about 10 inches tall and Zoey is about 8 inches tall. She is fawn (yellowish) color with a pink collar. The napping rug is red with yellow tassels on each corner. You will need to include where the napping rug lands (the setting - your area), what happens (main idea and supporting details), and the conclusion (plot/problem is solved) and then the pair fly back to their home in Paola, Kansas on the napping rug.

My students would like to write a story about 2 puppies who get a new rug to nap on. This “napping rug” takes these two puppies to extraordinary places (your city/town) and encounter a wonderful time while they are there, all while they are suppose to be asleep! We need your students help writing this story. If you are interested in this writing activity please contact us for a story outline and other important information. Everyone that participates will get a copy of the completed project and everyone is encouraged to participate. Hope to hear from you soon! The more the better!!!

It seems as though most of you are okay with November as the ending date for this project instead of January. Some schools will ended their school year before January and their students will be gone. Some of us do not start school until September and this will still give them September and all of October to work on the project.

I needed to correct the Japanese school location. The school is actually in Okinawa, Japan. It is wonderful for us to have them participating and their teacher is very excited to start the project with her students. I am very sorry for the error.

Please do not become stressed over this project - just have fun with it. Remember it can not be wrong - whatever you come up with will be wonderful and unique. None of us will do it exactly the same and that is what is so exciting about this. We are a very diverse group and we want you to write and draw from your heart and your ability levels.

Now, as for the length of the story - 300 to 500 words was just a starting point. You can write something shorter or longer than that. We have one wonderful participant that has already written his story and it started out with 2,000 words and he has narrowed it down to 1,000. This is just fine. It will be a wonderful addition to our storybook. On the other hand, if your story turns out to be 100 words that will be okay too.

If you are having a hard time coming up with and idea to write about here are few suggestions:

Have the puppies land… In the middle of a event that is special to your area/country At the dinner table of an important person During a special holiday or festival In a building or monument In your classroom In your home In your car or on a bus On a busy street On a beach, mountain, or other geographic spot. Any place you want them to land and let them experience anything that is important to you/your area/your country. You may add characters - people or indigenous animals - or the puppies can find their way on their own.

1. My students will start the introduction for each of the stories - where Lisa is putting the puppies on their napping rug.

2. You/your students will start writing from the time that they unexpectedly show up in your country to the time they disappear and go back home.

3. We will then finish each story up when they wake-up on their napping rug and tell Lisa about the experience/dream.

You/your students will only need to worry about the time they are actually in you country.

Things to keep the same throughout our stories:

As far as the consistency of the main characters (brother and sister Chihuahuas) - William is a black puppy with tan color on his face and legs and he wears a green collar. He is about 10 inches tall and Zoey is about 8 inches tall. She is fawn (yellowish) color with a pink collar. The napping rug is red with yellow tassels on each corner. I have attached pictures of the puppies.

Draw 3 pictures - one of the beginning, middle and end. You can scan those and send them via email or send them snail mail and I can scan them for you ;-)

Here is an example of a story that I wrote about the Chihuahuas landing in Antarctica. The story is 452 words without the introductory paragraph and the final paragraph. I went ahead and put them in to show you how it will look so with them it is about 636 words. Remember this is only an example and you can write your story any way you want to.

EXAMPLE: Lisa was getting ready to go to the store to buy her adorable puppies, Zoey and William, some puppy food. As soon as she put her puppies on their napping rug she left. When the door shut the two pups felt a cold breeze waft over them then, all of a sudden, they felt extremely cold and started shivering. They found themselves sitting on ICE! As they peered around they saw they were surrounded by some strange creatures that looked as if they were wearing tuxedoes. Their napping rug had taken them to frigid Ross Island, Antarctica!

Four sets of gleaming black eyes encircled in white spied upon William and Zoey while sounds of “ork,” “eeerk,” “ooook,” and “rrrrok” echoed in their ears. As the siblings were being ogled by the tuxedo wearing creatures Zoey broke the ice, sort-of-speak, and introduced herself and her brother to the inquisitive onlookers. Through chattering cold teeth she told them about their napping rug and that they were from Kansas. As she spoke William took the napping rug and wrapped it around both of them and warmth crept back into their tiny bodies.

Erebus, the most outgoing of the four onlookers, welcomed the puppies to their ice float. He introduced his friends Aurora, Waddle, and Adeline to the pair and invited them to have breakfast with the rest of their Adelie Penguin colony. As they all snacked on krill and shrimp Aurora told them all about Ross Island and the famous active volcano Mt. Erebus, to whom her friend Erebus had been named. Waddle thought it would be fun to take the pups up to Mt. Erebus as they had all been watching its plume illuminating in the distance. Everyone cackled and howled with excitement as they started on their expedition. The little Chihuahuas’ tiny legs could not tolerate the extreme arctic conditions so Erebus and Waddle let them ride on their backs and the four penguins tobogganed toward the 3794 meter high summit.

The closer they came the more they found themselves dodging great blobs of bubbly lava bombs that were being heaved from the caldera. The group crept up and peered over the crater’s rim. A hush fell over them as they marveled at the lava lake churning below as it has been doing for 1.3 million years. Before leaving the six new friends bowed with respect then turned away from this beautiful site and began their decent.

One of Adeline’s favorite things to do is to explore the icy towers and caves created by Mt. Erebus’ fumaroles. So, as they past by one of the caves, they went inside where they were warmed by the almost tropic like air and were enchanted by the stunning dark blue hue that surrounded them. A peaceful calm fell over the group and time slipped away as they shared stories of their families and friends and laughed until their sides hurt. Adeline and Aurora shared a little fish cake with the others and the puppies began to feel sleepy. As they cuddled on their napping rug they gave into their blissful, happy feeling and their eyes closed. In their last sleepy words they thanked their new “forever” friends, told them they would be back to see them again sometime, and then they were gone.

Hearing the key rattle in the door the two puppies knew they were home again and that Lisa was bringing them real food. The pair ran to Lisa with delightful squeals and yips of happiness as they told Lisa of their adventure. Lisa listened lovingly. She tried to stress to William and Zoey that it had all been a wonderful dream. But, she wonder to herself if it wasn’t more, especially when she saw a small black feather under Zoey’s collar and smelled fish on their breath!?!

Remember your story needs to…

1. Your story will need to include where the napping rug unexpectedly lands A. the setting - your area 2. what happens A. main idea and supporting details 3. the conclusion A. plot/problem is solved 4. Then the pair seem to leave as quickly as they came.

We will add the beginning - when they are placed on the rug and the ending - when they are telling Lisa about their adventure/dream.